Authenticity is just as much about knowing who you are not, as it is about knowing and being who you are.
On today’s Pioneer group coaching call, the discussion moved towards the topic of parenthood and how some parents, trapped by fears socioculturally conditioned into them over a lifetime, may end up making choices that may be non-beneficial to their children.
The Pioneer who shared the story went on to describe how she was able to choose actions that made a direct difference to the child in question, without unnecessary and most likely non-beneficial potential conflict by pointing out the impact of the parent’s choices directly to the parent in question.
Subtlety and tact are not particular strengths of mine.
As I joked about how I would have definitely flubbed the situation up by going straight to the parents with facts and figures—ENTP and autistic much!—I mentioned that parenthood is something that I have paltry experience in and that’s why I do not do gifted parenting and child related coaching. I mean, sure I can empathise up to a point, and mostly intellectually, but that’s not enough and I know that. Not to mention, I have absolutely no interest in either subject.
Hence, not drawing that line in the sand is not only professionally unethical, but it would result in me being inauthentic to myself in the long run. I can’t pretend to empathise or be interested, nor do I want to.
Authenticity, to me, is about creating a life—personal and professional—that both celebrates my strengths and honours my limits.
It is then that I am then able to best serve myself and others, creatively and sustainably.
Something that I work hard to help Intrepid Integrity participants realise and achieve in their own lives.